In Thurgau, SP and Center Party gain parliamentary seats
Published: Sunday, Apr 7th 2024, 19:00
Updated At: Sunday, Apr 7th 2024, 20:20
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The SP has gained four seats in the Thurgau cantonal parliament elections. The centrist party gained three seats and emerged as the second strongest force. The SVP and GLP each lost three seats, the Greens two. Nevertheless, the SVP remains clearly the strongest party.
With four additional seats, the SP gained the most seats compared to the 2020 elections. The Social Democrats now have 18 seats, making them the third-strongest party.
"If we look at the current political situation, which shows a shift to the right, we would not have expected this seat gain," SP cantonal president Marina Bruggmann told the Keystone-SDA news agency. There was a subliminal fear of losing seats before the elections.
In fact, the SP even has five additional seats because the party lost one seat during the legislative period due to the expulsion of coronavirus sceptic Barbara Müller. Müller ran for the Massvoll movement on Sunday, but missed out on re-election. Voter turnout was 30.4 percent.
In Münchwilen, the lot will decide
A special situation arose in the Münchwilen district. The SP won two seats there. For the second seat, two candidates received exactly the same number of votes. According to the canton's media spokesperson, a draw will therefore be held at the State Chancellery at a later date.
The Center Party was able to gain three seats and is now the second strongest force in the Grand Council with 21 parliamentarians. "We had certainly hoped that we would be able to win a seat in the districts of Münchwilen and Frauenfeld. However, we have now also been able to win a seat in Kreuzlingen," Sandra Stadler, President of Mitte Thurgau, told the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Since changing its name from CVP to Die Mitte, the party has become electable for a wider range of voters, Stadler said, explaining one possible reason for the seat gains. Since then, the number of Mitte Thurgau members has also risen.
The FDP suffered a loss of seats, which now has 17 seats and is still the fourth largest party in parliament behind the SP.
Failure for the SVP
With 42 seats in the 130-member Grand Council, the SVP remains clearly the strongest party. However, it lost three seats on Sunday. This means that the upward trend of the federal elections last fall and the renewal elections in the canton of St. Gallen in March did not continue for the largest party.
Perhaps this upward trend at national level was one of the reasons why the declared target of 50 seats was not achieved, SVP cantonal president Ruedi Zbinden told the Keystone-SDA news agency. "Many people thought they would do well anyway and perhaps that's why they didn't vote," said Zbinden.
Zbinden went on to say that his party had not mobilized enough of its own voters. "It is obvious that we are not satisfied and disappointed."
The climate parties are also among the election losers. The GLP lost 3 of its previous 9 seats, the Greens lost 2 seats and are still the fifth strongest party in the canton with 13 seats.
The Aufrecht grouping made the leap into the cantonal parliament for the first time, winning one seat. The EDU is now represented in parliament with 6 seats (+1). The EPP was able to retain its 5 seats.
Magic formula retains its validity
There were no surprises in the elections to the cantonal government. As has always been the case since the 1980s, the Thurgau magic formula of two representatives from the SVP and one member each from the center, FDP and SP remained in place.
The three previous members of the government Dominik Diezi (center), Walter Schönholzer (FDP) and Urs Martin (SVP) were easily re-elected. Of the new candidates, Denise Neuweiler from the SVP and Sonja Wiesmann from the SP clearly exceeded the absolute majority and were elected in the first round of voting. Sandra Reinhart from the Greens came closest to them, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
©Keystone/SDA
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